It only takes a few minutes on the internet in Philadelphia to come across hundreds of energy-saving ideas and tips to save you money on your heating bill during the winter; however, while some of this advice might sound practical, they might actually not be saving any money…. but rather costing you! Daniels HVAC in Philadelphia has been serving our great city for over 25 years and we’ve heard quite a few of these myths as well. We’ve even tested a few of them! In this article were going to cover some of the more common myths associated with HVAC energy savings for heating your Philadelphia home.
Wrapping my windows with aluminum foil will help cut down on my heating bill.
So here is the myth: “By wrapping bubble wrap and framing with aluminum foil I can create a window insert that will keep my house warmer.”
Sounds good doesn’t it? So let’s look at what is going to take:
- 3-5 boxes of aluminum foil = $9 – $15 @ Walmart
- Wood for Framing – $45 – $100 @ Lowes Home Improvement
- Hardware $35 – Lowes Home Improvement
- Bubble Wrap – $18 – $50 – Staples
- Shipping Tape = $22 – Walmart
This materials list is based upon an average size home with two windows per room.
Now that you spent over $200 and materials let’s examine what it does: BLOCKS THE SUN! That’s right; the one thing that’s needed to help keep your home’s temperature regulated without running the furnace as much… is sunlight.
The Truth: While having better insulation for your Philadelphia home is a good thing, blocking a major source of heat is not. I suspect if you remove them during the day and place them up at night you might see a small difference; but if your heating system is working properly, your windows and doors have been properly sealed (see our article on money-saving tips) the additional insulation on your windows would probably only give you a savings of around $15 per month. So for a savings of $70 – $90; it doesn’t quite make sense to spend $200 in materials.
Purchasing a furnace larger than my home’s need will save money on my heating bill.
So here is the myth: “Bigger furnaces don’t need to work as hard therefore it save you more money”. I’ve even heard some of my competitors out there telling customers this one…
The Truth: Forced air heating furnaces are only regulated in size because of the volume of air that needs to be heated. It is a balance between the heat produced and the blower used to force the air throughout the Philadelphia home; based upon the farthest distance away a vent is. The system design also takes into account the position of the ductwork and vents for proper convection to effectively heat the home.
Temperature is temperature. When the home cools below where the thermostat is set, the furnace kicks on. Regardless of the size of the furnace in your Philadelphia home; the furnace cannot prevent how quickly the home will cool down. Therefore; a large heater will kick on just as many times as the one that is meant for your home. Daniels HVAC in Philadelphia always recommends to replace your furnace with the one that is properly designed for the size of your home. This will give you all the benefits of a high energy efficiency furnace, as well as a system that will appropriately heat your home.
Daniels HVAC has been Serving the Philadelphia area for over 25 years. Call today to see the difference experience can make! (267) 971-3639
Closing off heating or blocking vents in rooms I’m not using will save on my heating bill.
So here is the myth: If I close the heating vents the furnace does not work as hard to heat the home.
This false myth in Philadelphia has been around as long as heating systems have.
The Truth: When a furnace detects a drop in temperature from the thermostat it activates the furnace. The furnace will then operate until the temperature, where the thermostat is, reaches the desired level. That’s it! Heating systems 101.
The only way that closing or blocking vents will make any difference whatsoever, is if those rooms or areas that you are closing off will not affect the overall temperature of the home… where the thermostat is. (meaning closing off those rooms as well) When a heating system is designed for your Philadelphia home it takes into account heating principles, such as convection and induction, to properly heat the home as quickly and as efficiently as possible. When you close or block vents you disrupt the principles that allow the heating system to work effectively.
Turning the thermostat up 10° will make my Philadelphia home heat faster.
So here is the myth: So when you come home and it seems that your homes a little cooler than you would like you crank the thermostat so that the furnace will run faster and heat your Philadelphia home up quicker.
The Truth: Your furnace doesn’t work that way. A furnace produces heat, it doesn’t produce it slow or fast. The blower in your Philadelphia home sends the air through the ductwork throughout the home. By raising the thermostat higher than necessary does not make the system work any quicker or harder than just setting the temperature to be the desired level.
Newer, more modern heating systems in Philadelphia have a variable speed blower that it is designed to work more efficiently when maintaining temperature; the principal still holds true for this style system that it does not work harder or any faster than normal to heat up your Philadelphia home based upon where the position of the thermostat is placed. (See our article on comfort levels) Daniels HVAC in Philadelphia does recommend using an energy smart thermostat that will allow you to preset the temperature to be regulated at different times during the day. (See our article on energy savings)
Don’t trust the myths, Trust the experts
Daniels HVAC in Philadelphia has been providing customers with high quality heating and air-conditioning services for over 25 years. When it comes to heater repair services Daniels HVAC has become known for presenting the facts, not the myths. Many of these myths are spread by large companies that use paid commission area salesman to convince customers to purchase more expensive systems. You will find Daniels HVAC has earned its reputation for honesty and integrity by being a straight shooter with his customers. If you need heater repair, heater maintenance, heater installation be sure to trust the experts; not the myths.
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